Top Available Seniors To Watch At The D3 State Tournament
Everyone thinks of the final matches of the state tournament to be a test of skill and physicality, but emotions and mentality play a BIG part. You can ride adrenaline through the first set, but when that wears off and the…
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Continue ReadingEveryone thinks of the final matches of the state tournament to be a test of skill and physicality, but emotions and mentality play a BIG part. You can ride adrenaline through the first set, but when that wears off and the emotional highs of the moment take their toll, you can crash if you don’t manage them. If you manage your emotions and nerves after the first set, you just settle in and find your groove. This can be amplified for seniors competing this weekend as they face their last chance to put their names in the record book.
Then they have to turn the page and answer the “what’s next?” question if they are not already committed. So for this weekend, soak it in, give it all you’ve got, and treasure these moments with your team! Now any college coaches reading this, remember small school players can “ball” too! You might want to give these seniors a call because they could be an asset to your incoming 2019 class!
Keri Walker Keri Walker 6'0" | MB Living Word Lutheran | 2019 State WI – 6’0 – Middle Blocker/Setter – Living Word Lutheran
Walker plays an impressive role as a setter in the backrow while working the net as a middle blocker in the front row. Talk about a work horse! She’s a 4-year varsity player and currently has 1,756 career kills. She averages almost 6 kills per set and is insanely efficient hitting a .407. Walker also has an impressive serve, racking up at least an ace per set.
Mazie Nagel Mazie Nagel 5'10" | OH Stratford | 2019 State WI – 5’10 – Outside Hitter – Stratford
Nagel has been operating under the radar, and a state tournament is a great place to showcase what she is capable of. This kid is a gamer, constantly talking, moving, engaging her teammates, and always staying engaged in the match. And then she flies and has a speedy whip of an arm that can place the ball on the floor before you even know she made contact. Nagel came onto the National club scene late by joining Wisconsin Ice 18 National last season, and the late start may put her at a disadvantage, but I’m sure there is a place for her to make an impact on a D2 or D3 roster.
Jadyn Dahlke – 5’5 – Setter/Right Side – Stratford
Dahlke plays as a setter and right side hitter for her high school and club team MVP (out of Marathon, WI), but at the collegiate level, she would make a really nice defensive specialist. She has a killer float serve, excellent ball control, and hustles to pick up most balls others wouldn’t imagine touching. She is gritty and, even though undersized, she finds a way to get a kill against much bigger blockers.
Kylie Hynes – 5’4 – Defensive Specialist – Lake Country Lutheran
Hynes has a really tough job with both Rylee Vaughn Rylee Vaughn 5'5" | DS/L Lake Country Lutheran | 2020 State WI and Adriana Studer Adriana Studer DS/L Lake Country Lutheran | 2022 State #187 Nation WI on the team, but she is also a key to making the Lightning so defensively strong! Hynes also presents a dangerous threat from the service line, averaging almost an ace per set while keeping almost 93% in play. Hynes would be a nice addition to a D3 or Juco team.
Callie Lehman – 5’8 – Middle Blocker – Stratford
Lehman has made impressive gains in her 2 varsity seasons. Last year she was mainly just a blocker that had good agility to close blocks, but this season she has shown she can hit and draw a block too. She has a nice fast swing and can go either way to find the 1-2 sideline or find the 5 corner.
Jenna McNally Jenna McNally 5'3" | DS/L Grantsburg | 2019 State WI – 5’3 – Libero – Grantsburg
McNally doesn’t just take care of the routine stuff, but she also scores from the endline with a strong serve. She also provides a strong defensive presence and averages over 5 digs per set. McNally leads a strong Grantsburg defense that will be taking on an equally strong defense of the Lake Country Lightning.